Improvement in corn-planters



ltd gitana ROBERT FORM-AN, OF` N-,O'RlVIAL ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 92,297, lated July (i, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-ELANTERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters` Patent and making peut of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT FORMAN, of Normal, in the county of McLean, and State ot' Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement'in Corn-Planters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to Vthe accompanying drawings, forming part ot' this specification, iu which- Figure l is a top or plan view of my improved mal chine. Y

Figures' 2, 3, and-4, are detail views of the parts of the upper dropping-device.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the machine, taken through the line 'x x, tie. l.

Figure (5 is a detail' sectional View, taken through the line y y, iig. 5showing the lower dropping-device. Similar letters otl reference indicate corresponding parts. f

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved automatic corn-planter, simple in construction,

'frame A by bolts passing up through slots in the said cross-bar, as shown in fie. l, so that the said stainlards, or supports may be moved closer together or further apart, to enable thc distance apart of the rows of hills to be regulated as desired. l

To the lower ends of the arms D are pivoted the ibi-ward ends of thc frames E, to which the plowstandards and dropping-devices are attached, and each of which frames consists of two longitudinal bars, connected by two or more short cross-bars.

The two frames E are adjustably connected with each other at their front and rear ends by the crossbars F, by means oi' bolts passing through slots in the said bars F, so that the said .ii'amcs lil may be moved closer together or further apart, to regulate the distance apart ot' the rowsof hills. f

Y The upper dropping-device consists of three plates,

G H I, the lower one, G, of which is securely and iminovably attached to the frame Ehas two slotsformed through its rear part, for the passage of the seed, as shown in tiff. 4, and has a round hole formed through its centre, through which passes and in which works the shaft J.

lhe middle plate `H has a square hole formed through its centre, to receive the qnared upper end ofthe shaftl J, so that it may carry the said shaft with it in its oscillations. A

The rear part of the plate-H has two slots formed in it, the size of whichniay be regulated at pleasure .by means of adjustable sliding blocks, according to the amount of seed required for a hill, and which slots are so arranged that they may be brought alternately over one or the other ot' the slots ot' the plate G, to allow the seed to pass down through the said plate Gr linto the conductor-spout. i

The forward part of the plate H A1uay,-it` desired, be cut away, as shown in iig. 3, leaving an arm, to

-the end of which is pivoted the connecting-bar, by

means of which the said plate is oscillated, as hereinafter described.

I is the upper plate, the forward and middle parts of which may, for convenience, be. cut away, and which is supported iufposition, and securely and hinnovably connected with the frame E, by studs or bolts.

The plate I has a curved, or semicircular slot formed through it, to allow the seed to come in contact with the oscillating plate H, and enter the holes formed in said plate', as before-described. y

'lhe middle part of the curved slot in the plate l, directly above the slots in the plate Gr, is covered with a plate, l, having wings, or -ilanges formed upon its sides, projecting downward to, or nearly to the plate H, and fitting into the slot in the plate I, so as to prevent the plate H. from carrying forward to the slotsfiu the plate G any more seed than' what may bc in the holes in the said plate H. l

The dropping-device Gr H I is covered with a seedbox, or hopper, which is not shown inthe drawings, and about the construction of which there is nothing new. f

K are` the conductor-spouts," which'are attached to the frames E directly beneath the dropping-devices G H I, so as toreceive the seed from the said droppingdevices, and conduct it to the ground.

The spouts K are divided longitudinally iutotwo parts by the partition k, which' said partition is slotted longitudinally, to receive the shaft J, the lower end of which works in a step formed in or attached to the interior of the spouts K, at the lower end of the partition kl.

75" are horizontal flanges formed upon or attached to thcuterior of the lower part of the spouts K, and

which are made in about the shape of a quarter ot' l a circle, as shown, in tig. 6, so as to leave an opening between their edges, upon each side of thc partition t, for the passage of the seed. n

L3 is a valve-plate, made .in about the shape ot' a half circle, and which is securely and rigidly attached to the lower part ofthe shaft J, so asto be moved to close the opening upon one or the other side of the partition h, as the said shaft J is operated by the movement of the plate H.

It should be observed, that as the seed isl dropped f by the operation of the upper dropping-device into one of the compartments of the spout K, the discharge orifice at the lower end of that compartment is closed,

so that as the seed is passing into one compartmentof said spout, the seed previously introduced may be passing from the other compartment to the ground.

Lis a cross-bar, to which the ends of the arms of the two plates H are pivoted, so that the said plates may be operated at the same time and together.

lo one end of the connecting-bar L is pivoted one end of the connecting-rod M, the other end of which is pivoted to the forward end of the lever N, which is pivoted to a support attached to one of the frames E.

To the other or rear end of the leve; N is pivoted one end of the connecting-rod O, the other end of which is pivoted to the rear end of the lever P.

The lever P is pivoted to the frame A, or to a support attached to said frame, in such a position that its forward end may rest upon the inner part bl of the hub of one of the wheels B.

The forward end of the lever P has a .downwardly-V projecting finger, or pin attached to it, which enters the zigzag groove formed in the enlargement b of the inner end ofthe hub of one of the wheels B, as shown in figs. l and 5, so that the dropping-deviees may be operated by the advance of the machine.

If desired, the enlargement b may be a separate piece or wheel, secured to the inner end of the hub of the wheel.

Q is a lever, pivoted to asupport attached to the frame A; and through a slot formed in or through a keeper attached to the outer end of said lever, passes the forward end of the lever P.

The other or inner end of the lever Q extends inward, into such a position that it may be reached and operated by the driver from his seat.

1t is a stop-catch attached to the frame A, in such a position as to receive and hold the free end of the level' Q, both when holding the lever P in gear and when holding it out of gear with the enlarged hub b'.

S is the drivers seat, which is adj nstably attached to the slotted bar T, the ends of which are secured to supports attached to the front and rear parts of the frame A, so that by adjusting the position of the seat S, the driver may bring his weight over any desired part of the machine.

The forward parts of the lower ends of the spouts K are so `formed as to open a furrow to receive the seedor they may have plows Uattaehed to them, for that purpose.`

The seed is covered by the covcring-plows Ui, attached to the lower ends of the standards V, the upm per ends of which are securely attached to the frames E, a little in the rear of the couductor-spouts" K.

The soil over the seed is pressed down and smoothed off by the rollers W, the faces ofwhich should be made concave, and which are pivoted to the lower ends of `the standards X, the upper ends of which are secured to the frames E in standards V. Y

Y is a lever, pivoted to a support attached to the rear part of the frame A, and the rear end of which is connected witlrthe rear partsof the frames E, by a short connecting-chain'. l

The forward end of the level-Y extends forward into such Va position that it may be conveniently reached and operated by the driver from his seat.

Z is a catch-bar attached to the frame A, in such a position that it may receive and hold the forward end of the-lever Y, both when the machine is working and when the plows have been raised from the ground by operating the said lever.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the partition k, droppingdevice 7:2 It, and shaft J, with the conductor-spout 1s'. and plate H of the dropping-device G H I, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. 2. The combination of the connecting-bar L, connecting-rod M, lever N., connecting-rod O, lever l, and hub-er'ilargement or wheel I1', having a'zigzag groove formed in it, with each other, with the plates H ofthe dropping-deviee G- H I, and with the frames E, frame A, and wheel B, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. i

ROBERT FORMAN.

proper position, in the rear of the Witnesses:

A. C. SHURTLEFF, M. SHURTLEFF. 

